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| ==Early life and education== | ==Early life and education== | ||
| Keflezighi and his family were ]s |
Keflezighi and his family were ]s<ref>{{cite news |url=http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/21/meb-keflezighi-wins-boston-marathon/ |title=Meb Keflezighi stuns to win Boston Marathon |work=NBC Sports |accessdate=April 21, 2014}}</ref> from ] via ] to the ], when it was 1987. | ||
| He began running while a student at ] in ], going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the ] in 1994 for ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1994/stateres.htm |title=California State Meet Results - 1915 to present |first=Hank |last=Lawson |accessdate=Decenber 25, 2012}}</ref><ref></ref> The distinction of Keflezighi's homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as ], whose change of domicile and citizenship had been largely for competitive reasons.<ref name="si_10312005">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1105319/1/index.htm |title=I Am An American |last=Layden |first=Tim |date=October 31, 2005 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=November 2, 2009}}</ref> Keflezighi became a ] of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from ]. While at UCLA Keflezighi received numerous ] awards and other accolades. |
He began running while a student at ] in ], going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the ] in 1994 for ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1994/stateres.htm |title=California State Meet Results - 1915 to present |first=Hank |last=Lawson |accessdate=Decenber 25, 2012}}</ref><ref></ref> The distinction of Keflezighi's homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as ], whose change of domicile and citizenship had been largely for competitive reasons.<ref name="si_10312005">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1105319/1/index.htm |title=I Am An American |last=Layden |first=Tim |date=October 31, 2005 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=November 2, 2009}}</ref> Keflezighi became a ] of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from ]. While at UCLA Keflezighi received numerous ] awards and other accolades. He won four NCAA championships (] and ]) during the 1996-97 season, including the cross-country title, the ] outdoors and the ] indoors and outdoors titles in track.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-track/spec-rel/110109aaa.html |title=UCLA's Meb Keflezighi Wins New York City Marathon |agency=Associated Press |publisher=UCLA Bruins |date=November 1, 2009 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110928091100/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-track/spec-rel/110109aaa.html |archivedate=September 28, 2011}}</ref> | ||
| ==Career== | ==Career== | ||
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 Meb Keflezighi at the 2009 London Marathon | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1975-05-05) May 5, 1975 (age 49) Asmara, Ethiopia (now Asmara, Eritrea) | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 127 lb (58 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.runmeb.com/ | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Marathon, 10000 m | ||||||||||||||
| College team | UCLA Bruins | ||||||||||||||
| Club | New York Athletic Club | ||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Bob Larsen | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Olympic finals | 2000 10000 m, 12th, 2004 Marathon  Silver, 2012 Marathon, 4th | ||||||||||||||
| World finals | 2001, 10000 m 23rd 2003, 10000 m, 16th | ||||||||||||||
| National finals | NCAA cross-country NCAA 10,000 m (outdoors) NCAA 5,000 m (indoors) NCAA 5,000 m (outdoors) | ||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | Marathon: 2:08:37, 10000 m: 27:13.98 | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||
Template:Contains Ethiopic text Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (/ˈmɛb kəˈflɛzɡi/; Ge'ez: መብ, mebrāhtōm kifl'igzī; born May 5, 1975) is an Eritrean-born American long distance runner. He is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and finished in fourth place in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He won the 2009 New York City Marathon on November 1, 2009 and the 2014 Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 becoming the first American man to win each race since 1982 and 1983, respectively. Keflezighi is a graduate of UCLA where he won four NCAA championships competing for the UCLA Bruins track and field team.
Early life and education
Keflezighi and his family were refugees from Eritrea via Italy to the United States, when it was 1987.
He began running while a student at Roosevelt Middle School in San Diego, going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the CIF California State Championships in 1994 for San Diego High School. The distinction of Keflezighi's homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as Bernard Lagat, whose change of domicile and citizenship had been largely for competitive reasons. Keflezighi became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from UCLA. While at UCLA Keflezighi received numerous All-American awards and other accolades. He won four NCAA championships (outdoor and indoor) during the 1996-97 season, including the cross-country title, the 10,000 m outdoors and the 5000 m indoors and outdoors titles in track.
Career
Keflezighi is a three-time national champion in cross country running, having won the USA Cross Country Championships in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
In the 2004 Summer Olympics, Keflezighi finished second in the men's marathon, winning a silver medal in a personal season's best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 29 seconds. He finished 42 seconds ahead of Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima, who was leading the marathon, but was disrupted when he was pushed off the course by protester Cornelius Horan. This was the first medal won by an American man in the Olympic marathon since Frank Shorter won the gold in the 1972 Summer Olympics and took the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
His fastest times for some standard distances are 3:42.29 for 1500 m, set in 1998; 13:11.77 for 5000 m, set in 2000; 27:13.98 for 10,000 m, set in 2001 (an American record which stood until 2010); and 2:08:37 for the marathon, set at the 2014 Boston marathon.
In 2007, Keflezighi suffered from dehydration and the following year, he broke his hip during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park. He finished in eighth place and did not qualify for the team. During the race, his friend and training partner Ryan Shay died of a heart attack.
He won the 2009 New York City Marathon, setting a personal best of 2:09:15. Keflezighi was the first American to win the marathon since 1982.
On April 19, 2010 Keflezighi ran his third fastest time of 2:09:26 while finishing 5th in the 114th Boston Marathon, despite training at half his usual mileage with a knee injury. He ran with the leaders for much of the race, before slowing at the finish. He ran the San Jose Half Marathon as part of his preparation towards a New York title defense and he comfortably won by a margin of three minutes, finishing in 1:01:45. He would later go on to finish in sixth place (first U.S. finisher) at the 2010 New York Marathon.
In 2010 Keflezighi ran a PR in the marathon of 2:09:13 in New York. Once again he was in sixth place and the first U.S. finisher.
On Oct. 11, 2010, he released his autobiography, Run To Overcome, which was published by Tyndale House Publishers. The book, co-authored with noted sports writer Dick Patrick, included recollections about major milestones in his life, such as his Olympic competitions and other running highlights, as well as his early years, leading up to the present day. He is also the driving force behind the MEB Foundation, the "MEB" standing for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," which principally promotes healthy living, and other positive lifestyle choices and motivation for school-age youth.
Despite his success, Keflezighi's sponsor Nike did not to renew his long-running contract in 2011. As a result, Keflezighi competed as an unsponsored athlete. In December 2011, Keflezhigi was signed up by sportswear company Skechers, whom he has represented since.
On January 14, 2012, Keflezighi won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trial in Houston with a time of 2:09:08, which was a new personal best by 5 seconds. He is the oldest winner of the Olympic Trials Marathon at age 36.
On August 12, 2012, Keflezighi finished fourth in the 2012 Summer Olympics Marathon with a time of 2:11:06.
On April 21, 2014, Keflezighi won the 2014 Boston Marathon, the first American male to do so since 1983, and first American since 1985, with an official time of 2:08:37.
Personal life
Keflezighi lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, California, and is a member of the New York Athletic Club.
References
- Whiteside, Kelly. "American Meb Keflezighi wins Boston Marathon". USA Today. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- "Meb Keflezighi stuns to win Boston Marathon". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- Lawson, Hank. "California State Meet Results - 1915 to present". Retrieved Decenber 25, 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - See youtube highlights
- Layden, Tim (October 31, 2005). "I Am An American". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
- "UCLA's Meb Keflezighi Wins New York City Marathon". UCLA Bruins. Associated Press. November 1, 2009. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011.
- "Keflezighi, Brown take open titles at USA Cross Country Championships". USATF. February 7, 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (August 30, 2004). "Summer 2004 Games: Marathon; A Spectator Disrupts The Marathon With a Shove". The New York Times. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
- Cite error: The named reference
ap_11_01_2009was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Crumpacker, John (May 2, 2010). "Solinsky sets 10,000-meter American record". San Francisco Chronicle.
- Patrick, Dick (October 27, 2009). "Marathoner Keflezighi carries somber memories of New York". USA Today. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
- Zinser, Lynn (November 1, 2009). "Keflezighi's 'U.S.A.' Breaks the Tape". The New York Times. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
- "Cheruiyot breaks CR in Boston; Hall fastest American ever at race". USATF. April 19, 2010.
- Miyamae, Amana (October 4, 2010). "Keflezighi defends title at San Jose Half Marathon". IAAF. Archived from the original on November 6, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- Germano, Sara (April 24, 2012). "Skechers Sets New Pace on Sponsors". Wall Street Journal.
- "Keflezighi; Flanagan win U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon". USATF. January 14, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
External links
| US National Championship winners in men's 10,000-meter run | |
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| 1876–1878 New York Athletic Club |
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| 1879–1888 NAAAA |
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| 1888–1979 Amateur Athletic Union |
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| 1980–1992 The Athletics Congress |
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| 1993–onwards USA Track & Field |
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| Notes |
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- Current events
- 1975 births
- Living people
- People from Asmara
- American long-distance runners
- American marathon runners
- Eritrean emigrants to the United States
- Eritrean marathon runners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Eritrean refugees
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
- New York City Marathon winners
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- UCLA Bruins men's track and field athletes
- Track and field people from California